I took the long way to school this morning. I left a few minutes early so I
could poke along and savor the autumn colors. Opening the car window, I
filled my lungs with the scent of fallen leaves mixed with fallen apples as
I passed an already harvested orchard. Remembering Jesus and His disciples
harvesting a handful of grain while passing a field, I pulled over and kicked
around in the grass under the fruitless trees until I found a really nice
apple the harvesters had left behind. Rubbing it until it was nice and
shiny, I took a big juicy bite. It was grand. Actually it was a Cortland.
I enjoy doing things Jesus did. I allowed my mind to run a bit wild and
imagined Jesus standing among the trees polishing up an apple. Truly there
are many ways we can do what He did and He is anxious to help us. We can
perform miracles of love that can transform lives by our being attentive to
the needs of those about us. If we are having difficulty with that, upon
our request, the Holy Spirit will heighten our sensitivities and actually
give us the resources to come to the aid of others.
When Paul wrote, “Let this mind be in you that was in Jesus” he was calling
us to a higher plain of daily living. He was telling us that we could think
better thoughts than our norm and act in ways far beyond our usual level of
giving. Tomorrow you and I can be something so much better than what we are
today. And should we be so, the entire world will be a better place.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 30, 2008.
Spring of Life, 901 Signorelli Circle, St. Helena, CA 94574